Villarreal impress Harry

Harry Redknapp was full of praise for Villarreal after the Spanish side's impressive display and 4-1 friendly win at the Lane on Thursday night.

Harry Redknapp was full of praise for Villarreal after the Spanish side's impressive display and 4-1 friendly win at the Lane on Thursday night.

The La Liga side snapped straight into their passing game and had already gone close twice before ex-United striker Giuseppe Rossi buried two carbon-copy chances into the bottom corner for a 2-0 lead just after the half-hour.

To the lads' credit, we hit back in the second half and after our best spell of pressure in the match, pulled a goal back when Peter Crouch released Giovani to finish confidently.

Crouch and Kyle Walker also had chances and Niko Kranjcar had a goal disallowed as the comeback looked on midway through the half.

However, Rossi's hat-trick goal, a shot wickedly deflected off Vedran Corluka and beyond David Button, took the wind out of our sails in the 70th minute.

Villarreal took control again and missed chances before substitute Ruben converted the fourth from close range with five minutes remaining.

"They were good, weren't they?" said Harry. "I thought they were excellent, a really good side that played good football.

"They were sharp, bright and lively and I was very impressed with them.

"It just shows how hard it will be when we get into Europe.

"They finished seventh in the Spanish League last season. I've seen a bit of them recently but they were outstanding.

"They passed and moved and that's how they play the game, the kids play like it, they all play like it and that's perhaps how we should all be playing the game. They were very, very good, very impressive."